


Rescue

by somalester



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Big Brother Peter Parker, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Pepper to the Rescue, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 22:09:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18583564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somalester/pseuds/somalester
Summary: [ENDGAME SPOILERS]After the battle, Peter struggles to cope.





	Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> I’m dead. 
> 
> I died. 
> 
> I’m in the afterlife.

One night, Peter wakes up from a nightmare.

Tony’s name is still on his lips and his cheeks are wet from his crying. As soon as he opens his eyes, the crushing weight of reality makes him shake.

It’s not that unusual for him to wake up like this, and he’s had May hold him at three in the morning more times than he wants to admit.

Only today, there’s no May, because he’s not at home.

He’s at Pepper’s house by the lake in the guest bedroom, tangled up in his sweaty blankets. As soon as he realizes, he startles even worse, twisting in the blankets in a desperate attempt to free himself.

Vaguely, he hears voices coming from the hallway.

Pepper and Morgan, he realizes.

Morgan, who should be next to him, because he’s offered to babysit while Pepper was out for the evening.

He desperately tries to get his breathing under control, to get himself together before the young girl can see, but when the door opens, it’s only Pepper.

She’s at his side in an instant, tugs the blankets away and takes his hands in hers.

“Peter, _breathe_.”

He tries. God, he tries, but he can’t, and Tony’s gone and -

Pepper helps him sit up. It’s better on his poor lungs, who’ve seen their fair share of panic attacks by now, and it allows her to lay an arm on his shoulder.

The hyperventilating gives way to sobs.

Pepper pulls him to her chest, running a hand through his hair.

“It’s okay, kid.”

Peter shakes his head. It’s so achingly familiar to what Tony would’ve done and Tony’s...

“Gone,” Peter whispers. “He’s _gone_.”

Pepper’s hands tense, just for a moment.

“I know, Pete,” she says softly.

She holds him for a few minutes longer, until his breathing isn’t interrupted by hitching sobs anymore.

He doesn’t want to move. Her arms are comforting and safe, in just the same way Tony’s once were.

“I’m sorry,” is what he says eventually. It’s all he says these days, he feels like. “Pepper, I -”

“Peter.” Her voice is gentle, but firm. “Don’t. You don’t have to apologize.”

“I scared her,” he murmurs into her pajamas. He knows how loud he can get during nightmares, as it often doesn’t fail to wake up May. “Didn’t I?”

Pepper sighs. “She’ll understand. This isn’t the first time she’s seen this, you know?”

Peter tenses at the nod to who isn’t among them. He disentangles himself from Pepper’s arms, makes himself look at her.

“I’m -”

Pepper shakes her head, smiling a little. “Don’t you dare say sorry again.”

“But you loved him.”

“I still do,” Pepper corrects him easily.

Peter pretends not to see the tears in her eyes. He doesn’t even want to imagine what it’s like for _her_ , losing her husband like that, and having to raise their child on her own.

“Mommy?”

There’s insistent knocking on the door.

“Yeah, baby, you can come in.”

At Pepper’s call, Morgan opens the door and immediately hurries over to where they’re huddled together on the bed.

Her eyes fixated on Peter, who regrets not having wiped off his tear tracks.

“Are you okay?” She asks, voice timid. “I didn’t wanna leave you alone but Daddy said I have to get Mom whenever I see him sleeping badly, and I always try to do what he would’ve wanted because -”

Peter smiles at the way she starts to ramble, just like her father so often did. “I’m fine, don’t worry. You did the right thing.”

She looks at him and bites her lip, clearly hesitant. (As if Peter would ever refuse Morgan cuddles.)

Before either of them can move, Pepper hoists Morgan up and into Peter’s lap, who immediately wraps her arms around her.

Pepper smiles at them.

 _We’ll be okay,_ she mouths. Peter tries to believe her


End file.
